Dimapur, April 4 (EMN): The members of Nagaland in-service Doctors Association (NIDA), CMO Kohima extended support to NIDA for extension of superannuation of all in-service doctors from 60 to 62 years. It said that almost all other states of India have implemented the superannuation of age of doctors following the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2016 ‘that the retirement age of all government medical doctors in the country would be raised due to acute shortage of medical doctors and to retain experienced doctors for a longer period.’
It said that with the upcoming of two medical colleges and newly created districts in Nagaland, the state would be requiring more doctors in order to manage these setups.
“We are already short of doctors in the present situation, this is the only option we have in order to retain our experienced doctors to guide us in this transitional process,” it read.
It also urged the government to sort out the issue before one year's duration for action, which will end on April 17,2022.
“We will stand by any decision made by NIDA if the government fails to keep its promise,” it added.
Nagaland in-service Doctors Association (NIDA) Phek unit also extended support to the decision of NIDA demanding superannuation age to be enhanced to 62 years from the existing 60 years.
The unit in a statement also decided to extend co-operation to the proposed mass casual leave from April 18 to the 20th if the demand is not resolved on time.
NIDA, Dimapur unit comprising all in-service doctors from CMO and District Hospital Dimapur, in a statement on Monday also extended full support to the association’s demand of extending the superannuation age from 60 to 62 years.
Meanwhile, Nagaland Ayush Doctors’ Association (NADA) General Secretary Dr. Shasinlo Magh and the Vice President Dr. Alvis A Chikhe conveyed full support to NIDA’s demand on superannuation age for all government medical doctors in the state.
NADA said that following the public announcement made by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a notification was published in The Gazette of India (Extraordinary) on August 11 2018, New Delhi. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension (Department of Personnel and Training) through a notification dated August 11, 2018 laid down the Fundamental Rules 1922, where rule 56 for clause (bb) states the age of superannuation with respect to doctors belonging to all the categories ie allopathy, dental and Ayush, that it would be 62 years.
It therefore said that NADA members would be joining hands with NIDA members and ‘will collectively move in the ongoing process in regard to the proposed agitation and demand of the superannuation age of the medical doctors in the state’.
Naga People’s Front party president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu on Monday also said that the Nagaland Government should ‘look into the matter in its right perspective’ with regard to their demand.
He reminded that there was only 12 days left for the time period which the government had offered to resolve the matter.
“It is difficult to believe why Govt. cannot resolve the matter in time if they really actively considering the matter,” he stated.
‘On the one hand, Nagaland has a shortage of medical doctors; MBBS seat is such a rare thing; no one knows how many more years we have to wait for our own Medical College. On the other hand, Govt. applies the same yardstick to health services in matters of banning creation of posts or extension of service. The matter does not end there but many patients will suffer the consequences even to the extent of causing death,’ it read.
He therefore appealed to the Govt. of Nagaland to take up the matter urgently, while stating that if it has ‘some genuine difficulty to meet the demand, it is hoped that doctors will understand it if it is communicated in a proper manner’.